Bristol Rovers defender Jack Sparkes believes the Gas are “definitely more competitive” under Steve Evans as they begin to edge away from the League Two relegation zone.
Back-to-back victories over Newport County and Walsall had lifted Rovers clear of the bottom two before a narrow defeat to Chesterfield halted their momentum at the weekend. Despite the setback, Sparkes insists there are clear signs of progress since Evans took charge.
Speaking after the 3-2 loss, the left-back highlighted the renewed intensity within the squad.
“We’re definitely more competitive. I don’t think anyone can doubt the effort, the application and how hard we’re working. It just wasn’t to be today, which is fine, we’re sure if we give as much effort as that every game, then results will start to come.
Three successive home fixtures had given Rovers the opportunity to steady a campaign that has, at times, drifted dangerously close to crisis. Two wins from those matches represented a significant shift after eight straight home defeats earlier in the season.
Sparkes admitted Chesterfield created openings and could have been out of sight by the interval, but he took encouragement from Rovers’ resilience.
“I think they did have a lot of chances, and they could easily have been two or three ahead at half-time. But we found a way to get back in the game and obviously lead at one point, but it was disappointing again.
He also acknowledged the quality of the opposition, suggesting the defeat may not derail the broader improvement.
“I think Chesterfield are a good team, they should be right up there. We have been good this last week or two; we’ve got to take all the positives from that. It’s a little bump in the road, and we’ll go again next Saturday.”
Much of the focus now centres on Evans’ influence. Appointed to stabilise a side sliding toward the drop, the experienced manager has prioritised work rate and organisation. Sparkes hinted that the cultural shift has been immediate.
“He’s just got us really running'” he added.
“That’s been the focus in the last however many weeks he’s been in.
“All of that effort and hard work. I think you can see that since he’s been here that we’ve always given it a go in games, and the effort has always been there as well.
“Not to say that it wasn’t the case under Darrell Clarke, but he’s probably got a little bit more emphasis on that.”
The challenge now is consistency. Rovers sit just above the bottom two, but the gap remains fragile, and a trip to Cambridge United offers another pivotal opportunity to build distance from the danger zone.
Evans with a clear message
Evans’ message has been clear since arriving at the Memorial Stadium: intensity first, results will follow. Sparkes’ comments suggest the squad have bought into that approach.
Whether that renewed competitiveness translates into a sustained climb up the League Two table remains to be seen, but for now, Bristol Rovers appear to have rediscovered some fight at precisely the right time.
